JULY 2015
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Preventing
and Treating Poisoning in Alaska
A curious child bites into a dishwasher cleanser tablet. Another
downs the pretty pink mouthwash. A teenager fights with his parents and
consumes an entire bottle of acetaminophen. A couple celebrates their wedding
anniversary in a fancy restaurant to later experience vomiting and diarrhea.
These are the incoming calls during a day in the life of a
Poison Center. Our country has 55 of these Poison Centers working 24 hours a
day offering free, confidential
medical advice to prevent and treat poison exposures. When possible, the Poison Centers can advise
safe in-home treatment to reduce expensive emergency room visits.
The Alaska Poison Control System (APCS) is a partnership between the Oregon Poison Center (OPC) and the Alaska Department of Health and Social
Services, Section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion to
provide comprehensive poison management and poison prevention services for
Alaska. The poison hotline— 1-800-222-1222
— is answered by heath care experts, including pharmacists, physicians, nurses,
and poison information specialists.
Last
year, APCS received more than 7,000 calls from Alaskans. Most of these calls involved potentially toxic
and poisonous substances, such as medication, alcohol and household
cleaner. Analgesics, also known as pain
medication (such as opioids), were the leading cause of a hospital visit in
2014 among all ages.[1] Poisonings are
the No. 1 cause of unintentional death in Alaska.[2] Alaska has the 29th
highest drug overdose mortality rate in the nation.[3]
Pediatric poisoning exposures make up the highest proportion of calls every year. There were 3,295 reported cases last year. The most common exposure, and also the most serious, involved prescription medication and illicit drugs. Two key reasons for the high proportion of pediatric poisoning were medicines that were accessible to kids and prevalent at home. Personal products— such as cosmetics, perfumes, and dental products like toothpaste and mouthwash — along with household cleaners and pain medications represented the most frequent sources of poisoning exposure for children 5 years of age and younger.[1]
Poisonings
are preventable. Use medicine only as directed by your doctor. Label and store
medicines and products in their original containers. Lock medicines and household
products out of children’s reach and out of their view. Call medicine by its
proper name, not “candy.” Reduce carbon
monoxide poisonings by installing a CO alarm in your home according to state
law. When in doubt or in a poisoning emergency, know your poison center’s
number: 1-800-222-1222.
Sources:
-
2014 Annual Report for the Alaska Poison
Center
- 2013 Unintentional Injury Deaths for
Alaska
-
Legislative Research Services, Research Brief,
“Alaska Controlled Substance Overdose Statistics
LRS Report 14.283”
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